A Young Girl's Dream
by lionessladyknight
Summary: Cliona doesn't desire to become a lady, but what else could she do? Is she willing to throw away all of her dreams just for propriety's sake and leave what she holds most dear behind? Please read and review!
1. One Girl's Decision

Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, though I wish I did

A/N: this is my first fanfic, so bear with me! I hope you enjoy! Please review. Also, just to let you know, the page break isn't working. Sorry.

**Chapter one: One Girl's Decision**

"Come in." The duke's voice rang out loud and clear. A young girl of about ten years of age stepped into the brightly lit study with a spring in her step. She started to run towards the duke as if to give him an affectionate hug, but at the last moment remembered all of her lessons in decorum and politely curtsied before throwing herself at the man, who promptly chuckled merrily.

"Oh, dear Cliona." The duke tried to regain his composure as he looked at his favorite daughter, but his voice cracked. "What ever am I going to do while you're gone?"

"Gone?" The girl, the duke's daughter Cliona, pulled back slightly and looked surprised. "But that won't be for a while will it?" She knew, as well as anyone, that once girls of noble birth reached the age of ten, they were sent off to a convent to become a proper lady before being formally presented a Court. However, this truth she always avoided because of how sad it made her feel. She did not, under any circumstances, want to go away from the home she loved so dearly to learn boring things and be forced to give up her favorite pastimes of archery and horseback riding.

The man heaved a sigh, and at once Cliona's heart sunk to the bottom of her shoes. "I know dear, but…" Another sigh. "You see, if you are going to have any future at all, that's your only choice. I know you don't like it but what else could you do? I am sorry, truly I am. I do not wish to see my daughter unhappy. But I do think this has to happen."

Cliona's eyes watered and she blinked rapidly to keep her tears from falling. She mumbled as loudly as she dared, "I want to become a knight."

"You what?!?" Apparently she had mumbled too loudly, for she really had intended to keep her secret desire, well, secret. "Did I hear that correctly? You want to become a knight? Preposterous. You're only a girl; you couldn't manage."

She had meant to say sorry and leave the study quietly, but that last remark filled her little ten-year-old self with a cold fury. "What did you say? That girls aren't as good as boys, that we're as tender as feathers and can't do anything? Well I tell you, you will regret that you ever said this. I thought that you were above all of that nonsense and that you would at least try to understand. Apparently I was dead wrong."

And with that, she flung herself out of the office, and ran to her tower room before dissolving into tears.

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Cliona didn't come down for dinner; she just couldn't bring herself to. She cried and threw things about the room in a fine temper until she was so exhausted, she fell asleep on the rug. When she woke up, the sun had set and the moon was bright. While she absentmindedly stroked her faithful black cat, Midnight, an idea formed in her head. She couldn't stand by and let her dream fall away; she just couldn't. And she wouldn't. Maybe she should for propriety's sake, but that was the last thing on her mind at the moment.

All of a sudden, she jumped to her feet and scurried about her room, throwing objects carelessly into two giant saddle baskets. When the city clock chimed midnight, she crept downstairs to the kitchen to steal some provisions. Once she had everything she needed, she headed to the stables to saddle her horse up. Within minutes, she had fooled the guards and was riding out of the city limits into the dark forest. She rode on for many more hours, before finally making a camp in an out-of-the-way place so no one would notice her.

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Dawn came, and with that the bell that summoned the Duke and his family to breakfast. Everyone was present, down to the very last mouse, except Cliona. Very worried, the Duke turned to his wife and said, "Do you think she's alright? It's not like her to miss breakfast, or any meal for that matter."

"My dear," the Duchess answered, "you worry too much. I'm sure she's fine, she probably just slept in a bit for once."

"I know, but she did take the news of her departure quite seriously; worse than I expected. And then the whole outburst about being a knight… I suppose I should've seen that coming. After all, she does spend most of her time out of doors, and when she's inside she is off reading some tale or another."

"It'll be fine. I'll check on her after breakfast if you like."

"Thank you very much dear."

And that she did. But of course, Cliona was nowhere to be found. When it was discovered that her cat, her horse, and a few of her favorite belongings were missing as well, the Duke looked like he was going to faint and the Duchess gave a quiet shriek before dissolving into tears. Their favorite daughter was gone.

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Meanwhile, Cliona was aroused by the sound of the bell clanging the alarm signal. _Oh no. They've discovered that I'm gone already! _Without a second thought, she was off, galloping at top speed. After a while, the sun rose to its highest position in the sky and Cliona was forced to stop to save her laboring horse. She rested and munched on some bread with cheese before saddling up again and setting off at a more reasonable pace.

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Many such days passed. After the week had ended, Cliona was relaxing by a campfire. It probably wouldn't be much longer until she arrived at the palace; though her fief was out in the countryside surrounded by farms and an expansive forest, it wasn't too far from the capital city. And strange as it may seem, it was even faster not traveling on the road, for it was busy and full of travelers at this time of year, going to see the fair or trade goods at local markets.

All of a sudden a clash of steel and much yelling could be heard. Without a second thought, Cliona was bounding after the source of the sound, which was surprisingly farther then she had originally gauged it to be. Once she arrived at a little clearing, a devastating scene lied before her: three nobly dressed people, a man, woman, and a child, and about a dozen body guards were strewn across the forest floor, all sporting some sort of wound. They all seemed to be dead, except the young boy who looked to be about her age.

She immediately went to his side, kneeling by him and taking out her satchel of herbs and other materials needed for healing. She prepared a bandage with a salve to wrap around his leg which seemed to be the cause of his discomfort; a large gash was there, running almost the entire length it.

"What is your name?" She asked him, for he appeared to be conscious.

"Edmund." The reply was so soft at first, she hardly heard it. "Edmund of Hollybranch."

"What happened here?" She asked, indicating the scene of devastation that surrounded them.

"My father, mother, and I were riding to the palace. I am to become a knight, you see. All of a sudden, the attackers came out, killed my mother, father, and guards, badly wounded me, and took off with our precious goods." A single tear rolled down his cheek as he said this.

For the next hour, Cliona used all of the knowledge she had of healing and herblore to try to save the boy, cursing the numerous times where she had daydreamed during her lessons from the village healer instead of really paying attention. All the while she was doing this, she talked to him gently, coaxing information out of him incase she would need it later. Finally, she gave up knowing her efforts were futile. The wound was too deep and her knowledge too little; indeed, he died soon thereafter.

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The next few days were grim. Gloominess seemed to coat the world, and Cliona's guilty conscious inhibited her normal lively countenance. Why, oh why hadn't she been a good girl and listened to old Mary, her teacher in herblore? She buried Edmund and his family before setting off for the palace. When she was nearly there, she realized that she would have to use his identity to get into knight training; his was a story that no one would question. After all, he himself had told her that he had been exceptionally excited to become a page because his fief was nearly a six month journey from anywhere, so naturally he hadn't met any one before. She prayed that he would forgive her for what she was about to do, before straightening her spine and heading resolutely to the palace.


	2. A New Beginning

Disclaimer: don't own anything except my own ideas

**Chapter 2: The beginnings of a new life**

The sun was hot and the clothes were itchy. Commander Evin sighed and stamped is foot impatiently. Why did he get this crummy job? He was a commoner, so he couldn't be a knight. He wasn't good at any trade, so he couldn't join a guild. Oh, and when he went off to battle two years ago, he got wounded so now he walked with a limp. And because of that limp, he was put in charge of gate duty. It had to be the very worst job; cold in the winter, stifling hot in the summer, and itchy all year round. No action, only teasing from soldiers and scolding from important people who thought he didn't do his job fast enough.

He squinted. A purple haze filled his awareness before he heard,

"She will come from humble beginnings, but rise to be something to behold. A person masked as another will save the country from destruction and ultimate peril."

The voice was booming, a sound not meant for human ears. He dropped to his knees, astounded, his eyes streaming with unstoppable tears. Years later he was still trying to figure it all out.

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"Excuse me?" A tiny, hesitant voice entered his consciousness and woke him from his deep reverie. Confused, he scrambled to his feet in utmost haste, hoping that not all of his dignity had been ruined.

"State your name and business." The phrase was so old and familiar to him he said it without thinking.

"Edmund of Hollybranch. I've come for knight training."

Even in his stupor, Evin could notice (and did) that something was terribly amiss. This little runt of a boy was coming for knight training? But with a pounding headache, it was hardly something he would like to engage in. So he let the weary lad and his travel-worn horse in through the palace gates.

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Her first impression was that of a huge building stretching as far as her eyes could see. It was indeed a brilliant site to behold; every different wing of the palace painted a different cheery color. Pinks, yellows, blues, greens, and purples in all sorts of different hues decorated the exterior, adding to the bright, sunny air this place seemed to have anyway. Magnificent gardens were everywhere, and somewhere far off in the distance she could hear a strange sound that could have only come from an animal in the Palace's menagerie.

At first, Cliona was quite at a loss for what to do. This place was gigantic; how was she supposed to find anything in all of this? Where did she apply (for lack of a better word) for knight training? Who was in charge? She then realized how very little she knew about this whole business. She began to meander towards what looked to be a main entrance. Once she got there, the guard once again asked for her name and business, and once again, led her through the gates. But then there was another set of gates. _Good heavens, how many layers does this place have?_ Thoroughly confounded, she asked the nearest maid if she could direct her to the wing of the palace used for knight training. The young lady took pity on poor Cliona, taking in her dirty clothes and careworn expression.

"Follow me, I'll take you to the Duke's study where you can learn everything you'll need to know about your next few years here." With that, the maid led Cliona through a maze of passageways. Seeing her unbelieving stare, she commented,

"You do get used to all of this. In time, you will know every nook and cranny."

This Cliona thought very hard to believe. After what seemed like ages, they arrived at a door of a very nice looking suite. "Wait here," the nice maid said, "I'll alert the Duke to your presence."

After another few minutes, the maid returned and gently guided Cliona to another door that seemed to lead to his Grace's study. A few other young boys waited there too. Slightly uncomfortable, she sat down and waited.

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"Edmund of Hollybranch." The Duke's voice was clear-cut, precise, educated and commanding.

Taking a very deep breath and wiping her sweaty palms on her breeches, Cliona stepped into the Duke of Winston's Peak's study. He, apparently, was the training master here.

"You have come to pursue the honored professions of knighthood?" He asked, while looking over her. She, once again, was treated with a rather disbelieving stare for her smallness.

"Yes, your Grace."

"Where is your letter? My steward told me that you wished to speak to me on that matter, and that you don't have a letter. Surely you know that we only accept pages who come from noble families, and the only proof we have of that is a letter. Do explain yourself."

"On the way here, my party was ambushed and looted. I am the only survivor of the tragedy. Prior to embarking on the journey, my father told me that he wasn't going to write a letter; just deliver the message to you personally. My family was intending to stay at the palace for a while, but then he died, and I was still rather hoping I could become a knight…" Here her voice trailed off rather uncertainly. What if they didn't allow her? They had to….

"Yes, yes of course. Well, lets get you measured for the palace uniform. After that, you may explore the sights of the castle until the bell tolls the sixth hour. Then meet me and your fellow pages in the pages wing. Selena will be your maid, and will show you to your room and the fitting rooms. Your bags will be waiting for you there. That is all."

"Thank you, your Grace." One clumsy bow and she practically tumbled into the hallway. Selena was off to one side and gripped her arm as soon as Cliona was in view.

"Off to the fittings with you," she said, in a manner not unkind but not personable either. She seemed to be a rather formidable woman but with a kind twinkle in her eyes.

At the sound of the word fittings, Cliona's stomach lurched in fear. Images of being disgraced, forced home, and forced to tell her real identity filled her mind. If that were to happen, she would be disgraced forever and would have no place in society or any future whatsoever. However, the fittings were no more than a wiry, crabby old man flinging a rope around her and handing her a stack of rather large garments. Almost faint with relief, she stumbled through a maze of passageways behind Selena.

Not long after, the pair of them arrived at the humble room Cliona would call home for the next four years of her page training. It was simple; unadorned but nice and homey in its own way, complete with a bed in the corner, a chest, some shelves, a fireplace, and a washroom.

"Here I leave you. If you need anything I'm down the hall, but I'm not your personal maid; I won't be available at your beck and call. Keep that in mind. Good day." And with that, she strode out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind here.

Cliona heaved a very large, content sigh. So far everything was going just as planned. With that happy thought, she began to unpack her belongings.


	3. New Friends, New Life

Disclaimer: all of my ideas are my own, nothing else.

A/N: please please please review! Thank you so much to my 3 reviewers; I appreciate it very much!

Chapter 3: **New friends, New Life**

By the time the bell tolled the sixth hour, all of Cliona's belongings were unpacked and her palms were sweating once more from the nerves. What if they thought her strange? What if they figured out that she wasn't, in fact, a boy? All of agonizing questions roaming in her head made her stomach slightly queasy. She mentally battle with herself, and once she had her racing heart slightly in control, she stepped out into the hall. It was now starting to fill with young boys who looked as nervous (or even more so, if that was indeed possible) as she felt.

The _clump, clump_ of heavy footsteps signaled the coming of the Duke into the hallway. Inadvertently, Cliona felt her back straightening and her head coming up as he passed by her; she felt as though she should show him what she was worth, what girls were worth. Of course, he would never know the truth until she had earned her shield (hopefully, anyway), else wise the opportunity to show him the stuff she was made of and the truth about women and girls that men just didn't want to hear or believe wouldn't ever arise. All the same, she wanted to make a good impression on her first day despite her fears and anxieties.

"Now," his commanding voice rang out loud and clear above the clatter of the palace's bustling activity, "You have come here to study to become a knight. A night of our nation is more than just a man with armor yielding weapons on a horse; a knight is a protector of our very thoughts and territories, our freedom and the people that make our nation up. It takes more that brute strength to become a knight; it takes knowledge, wisdom, and skill. We will see how many of you are up to such a life style. This will be difficult, much more so than most of you imagine. The life of a knight is not easy. With all of this in mind, follow me to the dining hall. Later you will get the chance to learn your schedules and how things work around here. But lets waste no more time. Come, follow me."

When he was done speaking, Cliona released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding: what an inspiring speech! She would do it, she just had to. With that, she filed down the hallway after the myriad of other pages.

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The dining hall itself was rather an unremarkable setting, just your standard mess hall complete with tables and benches and a dais at the front. There was the page half and the squire half. The boys practically tumbled into the line to receive their meals. Cliona barely manage to suppress a giggle at their antics; how very much like her little brother's they were! Boys and food indeed. Once her food had been acquired (a portion noticeably smaller than most other's), she wandered over to a table with four other first years already sitting down.

"Excuse me, but is this seat taken?" Cliona inquired politely.

"'Course not! Sit right down. You're new too, aren't you?"

"Yes. And who are all of you?" By the looks of it, at least three of the four knew each other already.

"I'm Dominic, and this is Thomas, Edward, and Frederick, but we all just call him Fred. And you are…?"

"Edmund of Hollybranch."

"Not a well known fief is it?"

"Nah, too far north. Its quite cold up there."

Their conversation drifted on during the rest of the meal. They all seemed to be a personable lot; Dominic tall and freckled, Thomas small and bookish, Edward with flaming red hair and an insuppressible spirit, and Fred with sly, witty comments to keep them all entertained. It seemed as though you couldn't find four more different people, yet they all seemed to be quite friendly together and the five of them soon formed a little group. All too soon for Cliona, the meal ended when the Duke of Winston's Peak stood up.

"Right now, your schedules are being passed out. This is slightly different than before, as we have seen the need to change our program of training. On them are the details of your life for the next years until you become a squire. They will address what you are to do for the next few weeks before your departure from the palace."

At this statement, gasps were audible around the room: leave the palace?

The Duke raised a hand signaling for silence, which immediately fell, for he had a distinctly imposing air about him, garnering respect and fright alike from the assembled pages.

"Yes leave." He said that as though irritated with something. "You will be spending your time as pages living with a Lord and his family. We know that this is essentially what you do during your squire years, but it will be different. The main purpose for this is book learning, how to properly run a fief…"

At this Edward groaned. Loudly. But was silenced with one piercing glare from His Grace himself.

"And maybe some fighting if you're lucky."

At that Thomas groaned, though not as unabashedly and loudly as Edward had.

"You will be a personal assistant to your Lord, but first we need to test your abilities to fit you with the proper person. You will stay here for one month, leave fore three, come back for one, leave for three, and so on. The rest will be explained on your schedules. You are now dismissed, but expected to be here promptly at the dawn bell tomorrow." He said that last bit with a warning in is voice, as if to imply, _Or else_.

The scraping back of benches could be heard as the pages filed out to turn in their trays and go back to their rooms. Cliona was about to walk into her room to collapse on her bed when a voice from a nearby room stopped her.

"Hey, Ed, want to join us?" Fred asked, indicating Thomas, Edward, and Dominic amassed behind him in his room.

"Sure," Cliona replied, stifling a sigh and a yawn that threatened to be emitted from her due to her tiredness. But she did want to talk with her new friends, and that was the thought that drew her into his room.

"So, what do you think about the new developments in our training schedule?" Thomas asked from the corner where he was perched on a stool.

"Awful." That was Edward, of course. "We'll hardly get to have any combat training until we're squires! Why did they change it? The old system seemed to work just fin; some of our greatest knights were trained in it. Besides, what kind of an army will we be if all we know is how to keep track of expenses? That's what clerks are for!"

"I suppose they just wanted smarter knights, not mindless killing machines who don't know how to run a fief. That could amount to something dreadful; imagine the poor people who lived within his command if he couldn't care less about them or doesn't know how to?" Cliona mused thoughtfully. "Not that most knights are, but all the same they exist. Take Sir Jake for example; anyone heard of him before?"

They all shivered: the stories of Sir Jake were all legendary and positively dreadful, particularly the one about how he had killed twenty people simply because he wasn't smart enough to realize they were trying to help him, therefore resulting in the death of hundreds of others. It was one of the worst defeats in the history of the country of Luanda.

"Has anybody checked their schedule yet?" Dominic inquired, breaking each of them out of their pensive states. "It looks like we'll have at least some fighting training before we're stuck with boredom for months on end. That part of it's jolly anyway."

They talked on for a little while longer before Cliona realized it was bedtime and past; the sky had turned to an inky black while they had been chatting.

"Well, I don't know about you four but I'm off to bed; the dawn bell will come all too soon if we don't hurry up and go to sleep anytime soon." With that they bid goodnight and went their own separate ways.

Though the day's events had worn her out, Cliona didn't fall asleep for a while. She found it hard to, given all of the thoughts swirling around her head. But at last she did, and when it happened, it was with a happy smile on her face.


	4. The announcement

Disclaimer: once again, my ideas are my own but nothing else.

A/N: thank you so very very much to my 4 amazing reviewers! More are always appreciated!

**Chapter 4: The announcement**

With a groan, Cliona sat up in bed. It was still dark outside with the moon shining brightly, and yet someone was knocking on her door with increasing urgency. Wondering what who it could possibly be and why, she hurried to throw on some everyday breeches and a clean shirt before stumbling across the room to answer the door. Upon doing so, she discovered it was the pages' maid, Selena.

"Well, up you get! Good Heavens it took you long enough to answer the door; I thought I'd have to stand there for ages! Breakfast is in exactly in one hour. Be sure to be prompt, or my Lord won't be happy, to say the least."

And with that, she was on her way to wake up the next unfortunate page.

Cliona heaved a sigh as she shut the door. She was not a morning person and considered it to be almost a crime to have to get up when the moon was still shining brightly overhead. With one last longing look at the cozy, warm bed in the corner, she staggered blearily into the washroom. Once she had brushed her hair, put it back in a horsetail (she would have to cut it later; it was too much of a nuisance), cleaned her teeth, and put on practice clothes, she forced herself not to crawl back in bed and sleep but rather to go for a walk. She quickly navigated through the pages' wing until she found an entrance to one of the very many palace gardens.

Even in the twilight she could tell it was beautiful. The lavishness of the Royal Palace wasn't wasted on her, having come from a relatively poor fief in the countryside. The amount of staff required for the care of such a place must be unbelievably huge! Thankfully though, none of them were slaves; Luanda had outlawed that many years ago. However unfortunately, it still did exist in many other corners of the world.

This garden was a maze of passageways through rosebushes, each a different color and size. It was a rather breathtaking effect. She could hear a fountain in the distance somewhere. Strolling through in the quietness of dawn, she was left to her rather complex thoughts; it seemed that the enormity of what she was doing had yet to hit her completely. There were so many ways it could go wrong, but she just had to be strong and go through with it. So engrossed in her thoughts was she, that she hardly even realized it when the dawn began to creep up on the horizon. When she finally did so, she near panicked and began running back to the pages' wing. She didn't slow down until she reached it, where she promptly realized that well over half of the pages had yet to leave their beds. Nevertheless, she scanned the room, and upon spotting her friends, headed over to join them on the short walk to the mess hall.

"Hello Ed!" They had all decided to give her that nickname; as Thomas had proclaimed last night, "That's the name of a very bad and very dead sorcerer, so why should we call you by it? Ed's much better anyway."

"Edward, why must you be so cheery at this hour in the morning?" Protested Thomas, who was clearly not a morning person to say the very least.

"Honestly! I have to side with Thomas on that point. I certainly could've used a few extra hours of sleep myself." Cliona added.

"Oh come on you lot, cheer up! It's not going to get any better you know; we'll always have to get up at this hour or even earlier."

"I must say, you have a point. I wonder what today will be like…" Thomas mused. "Hopefully it will include some studying."

"Ever the scholar you are Tom." Fred teased. They had all discovered Thomas's passion the night before; reading any book he could possibly get his hands on, though he preferred reading historical books.

Their conversation proceeded to range through all manner of things, most of them being speculation about the day's coming events, and a little bit about family history and the like (at which Cliona began to squirm, and avoided most of the questions they directed at her.

"So, Tom, why are you becoming a knight anyway if you're so interested in books and history?" Inquired Dominic.

"Well, if I had my way I wouldn't be here. You see, I am the only son in my family of me and five girls (three younger, two older), and Pa needed someone to become a knight. But perhaps I can fulfill my ambition of becoming a scholar after I complete knight training. I would like to go to the University at Overlin, myself." Overlin was famed for having the best University in perhaps all of the charted lands; in fact, its reputation had caused the king himself to study there, not to mention all sorts of foreign dignitaries.

"Yeah, its not like any of your sisters could've done that particular duty for you," Dominic guffawed, causing Cliona to stiffen rather noticeably.

"What's the matter with you?" Edward inquired, indicating a rather murderous look that had crept into Cliona's eyes.

_How could they think such things? Don't they know how absurd all of that foolish nonsense is? Even worse, what would they do if they knew the truth about me? Surely they couldn't be that blinded by prejudice… but you never knew. I'll have to just tread very carefully, and learn to keep my emotions in control too._ Cliona thought all of this in nearly a blink of the eye, thoroughly troubled. The sound of Edward's voice brought her back to the present with a jolt.

"Uh, I was just thinking… I mean, ah, about the past… umm, drifting thoughts… rather preoccupied, sorry…" She stammered, very aware of how idiotic it sounded, even in her own ears.

The four of her companions stopped walking and looked at her curiously. Fred's first thought was that their new friend Edmund had a secret, one that he wanted to keep at all costs. But not about to give up this whole thing so easily, he opened his mouth to inquire further when he realized that Ed had managed to break away from their little group and get lost in a now very large crowd of pages waiting at the door to the mess hall. The bell soon clanged seven times, signaling the coming of dawn. Without further ado, the whole lot of them scurried into the room, their minds only on one thing: food. By the time their trays were laden with large quantities of steaming food and everyone was sitting down, everyone had forgotten Ed's weird episode; everyone, that is, except Fred (cunning boy that he was) who decided to leave it and instead ponder it on a rainy day.

The mess hall was filled with the clatter of hungry pages, almost all weariness now long forgotten to be replaced with anticipation for what was to come. Curious voices filled the hall, all wondering the very same thing: what this new program was that the Duke had begun to describe only the night before.

Their curiosity was not long into being before it was satisfied by the coming of Duke Roald.

"Good morning, pages," he began. "Now I know most of you here have waited for this information that I am about to disclose. You will be paired up with one other page, and sent to live with a Duke, Lord, or Count of this nation. To whom you are sent to is entirely up to you, and determined by one thing: the results of the test that you will all take today."


	5. The Test

Disclaimer: I only own the characters, places, and things of my own imagination!

A/N: to answer some questions….

Where is it taking place? In Luanda, a country that is made up of lands from Tyra, Tusaine, Maren, and a little bit of Tortall (I know you're confused, but keep reading…)

What happened to Alanna and Kel? This is way before their time. Pretty much a story on how Tortall as we know it in the books came to be. There is a Tortall in this story, but it will come in much later. It is a much smaller version of the Tortall in the books.

What happened to her cat? Her cat, Midnight, wandered off in the woods during the burglar attack, and disappeared. But you never know, he might return… And as to the question about him being Faithful/Pounce cat, you'll just have to see… As far as our heroine knows at this point, he is just ordinary.

Does commander Evin have anything to do with Evin Larse? No, not really, though he might be a distant relative. It's not really decided yet, sorry, because I might bring him back at some point into the story for a semi-major role but I haven't decided yet.

I hope that clears things up. If not, just let me know. Thanks so much for all of the 10 reviews! Please, please, please, review… its always appreciated! If you have any other questions, I would be glad to answer them too. Happy reading!

**Chapter 5: The Test**

_Test? _It was the one word on everyone's lips and in everyone's mind. And to have to take it today? Cliona fidgeted, feeling the beginnings of panic rising up in her throat.

"Yes, test," the Duke continued. "It will take place in a little less than two bells (at the 9 bell) and is to be made of questions from the scholars and exhibitions of your martial poweress, or the little of it that you have, in various forms of combat. The other instructions will be given to you in the courtyard next to the training grounds at the aforementioned time. Until then, I suggest that you do some last minute studying and change into your palace uniforms. You are now dismissed."

The scraping of benches was once again heard as all of the pages scrambled out of the hall, most of them forgetting their decorum and bowing in their haste to leave.

"Oh, goodness!" Cliona realized that she probably looked like she was going to faint, for that was how she felt (though she didn't know it, most others looked the same way). "I never thought that the test was going to be today! I mean, I thought they would've taught us something first… What happens if someone doesn't pass?"

"Oh, don't be silly Ed," stated Fred rather sensibly. He didn't look the least bit phased at the present moment, and more than one of the other pages envied him for that. "Of course you'll pass. Come on, let's go to the library to study if that makes you feel any better."

But it didn't; Cliona knew in her heart that she was smarter than most boys her age. What worried her was that she didn't have many fighting skills, having never been taught them except for in one instance. A Shang master had come through her fief, Elderwood, naught but two years ago, but then again, she had only been nine years old!

_Ugh, I'm just going to make a total fool of myself in the combat part, except maybe in archery. _Resigning her self to this fate, she trudged up the stairs with the others to the library.

After they had been studying for one bell, they decided to go back downstairs and get ready for the impending examination. With slightly shaking hands, Cliona pulled on her royal blue and silver tunic and hose. Even if it was a little bit big, it was resplendent; it gave her an extra boost of courage that she undoubtedly needed. Unbolting the door, she stepped out to walk to the training yards. About to go get her friends, she rethought the matter, thinking it might do her fretful self some good to be alone without distractions for a few moments.

Her feet brought her to the training yards without her eyes really registering where she was headed. But upon arriving there, she took a seat on the bench next to Fred. By the looks of it, he had come alone as well.

"Hullo," he said casually once he noticed her arrival.

"Are you nervous at all?"

"Just a bit," he admitted. "Well, maybe a bit more that a bit. You?"

"Same." They smiled at each other and resumed silence, each too nervous and preoccupied to carry on a conversation for very long.

Heavy footsteps on the tiles of the courtyard made all of the pages look up immediately.

"Follow me." The newcomer had graying hair and a stern demeanor; a man not to be reckoned with.

Stiffly, they acquiesced, getting to their feet and stumbling after the mysterious man. He was leading them to an inner courtyard, one devoid of flowers and all color except green; green vines, green bushes, green trees. He motioned for them to sit.

"Here you will wait your turn until it is your time to complete the test. Once you have finished it, under no circumstances are you to return here. If you hear your name being called, go on this path until you come to a building, upon which go inside it." He spoke, indicating the path behind him. "That is all, and good luck."

A man stepped up next to him (a guard, by the looks of it) and spoke in hushed tones to the aforementioned man before nodding and calling out from a scroll he had in front of him the first two names:

"Fred of Pinebush and Edmund of Hollybranch."

_Oh, my! I'm going first! _Not sure if this was a good thing or a bad one, Cliona stood up with Fred and followed the path to a building, which they entered. The cool air was welcome after the sweltering heat of the summer. Once her eyes had adjusted to the dim light, she saw that one half of a large room had three desks and a wall lined with books and the other half a bare wooden floor with fencing equipment on one wall.

"Good morning." The voice made the two pages jump; they hadn't seen anyone, or heard them either. "Go sit down at those two desks facing the central wall."

(The third desk was facing the other way, and upon examination, was the source of the voice; a man sitting behind it on a chair.)

They complied.

"You now see the parchment, ink, and quill pen in front of you. You do know how to read and write, correct?"

They both nodded.

"Good. You'd be surprised at how many pages don't. At any rate, on your paper number from one to seventy-five. You might need to use other sheets; that is fine. I will say a question, and you will write the answer by the proper number. For maths, you may use another sheet of paper for scrap, which will not be turned in. Do not communicate in any manner with each other, and refrain from cheating. Understood?"

"Yes," they said in unison.

"Alright, we may begin then. Question number one: what is the name of the ruler under which our borders expanded a total of one hundred miles?"

_Oh, this is easy! Good thing father drilled me as he did on history and maths! _

"Two: name the four fiefs of our country that are listed in the _Book of Gold_."

It went on as such, covering all sorts of topics until number seventy-five was reached and finished.

"Good. Now bring them here. You are now to go to that side of the room, and follow the instructions of the person waiting for you. You are still not permitted to converse with each other."

"Yes, sir."

The other side of the room was host to an entirely different sort of testing. A woman with brown curly hair stood in the shadows, beckoning them closer. She had the look of a fighter, and the stance of one too. _She must've been a Shang warrior, because they are the only ones who accept women_, thought Cliona.

"Hello. The instructions of this test are to perform to the best of your ability the tasks I set before you in the most efficient manner possible. I will be recording observations. Start with twenty press-ups and then thirty curl ups. Do them properly. Begin."

Immediately Cliona and Fred scrambled to comply. _This isn't so bad. It's a good thing I practiced these before bed every night for the past year. _

Indeed, it was true; she had practiced them in preparation to hopefully fulfill her dream Once they had completed that and many jumping/twisting maneuvers as well as strength and flexibility exercises, the strange woman let them stop to breathe (if only for a few seconds).

"Now we will progress to unarmed combat. When I say begin, I want you two to duel each other not using any weapons except your own body. You will be graded on the number of punches you land on the opponent, etc. The match will stop either on my say so, or if one of you collapses with exhaustion or injury. Begin."

It was a good thing that the Shang master had taught Cliona for a while. After all, as it was, she and Fred were both pretty much matched for skill. Punches and kicks flew at a ferocious pace (for two eleven year olds, anyway). It was impressive, and ended only when the lady told them to (it had gone on for what seemed like an hour or so, and neither of them were remotely close to beating the other).

"Now, sword fighting; your last test with me before I send you on your way to the next station. Has either of you learned a bit of it before?"

Fred nodded, but Cliona shook her head. Though her begging and pleading had gotten her a month of training with a Shang master, it did nothing when it came to sword fighting or any other marshal art.

"Well, I'll take that into account. Here are your swords" – she handed one to each of them – "and this match is to have the same rules as the last. Begin."

It was over considerably sooner than the last match; they were both tiring, and Cliona's lack of experience soon showed (though she used all of her might and strength that was left in her). Despite that, it didn't go too badly, considering her background with swords: none.

"Alright. You may be done."

Cliona sagged with the effort of standing up – her tummy and throat were both on fire (from muscle cramps and dehydration, respectively), not to mention her arms, feet, legs… well, the whole rest of her body.

"Now. You are not entirely done yet. You will proceed through these doors where your next instructions will be given. No talking."

Wearily, they trudged to the doors. Upon opening them and crossing the threshold, their eyes smarted from the light and heat that they were then accosted with from the outdoors. Shielding their eyes, they stumbled forward down the well-trodden path to yet another practice yard and a stern faced guy.

"Hello." Cliona recognized the face and the voice from the guard at the Palace gate. He identified her too, which made him narrow his eyes; he still hadn't forgotten the monstrous headache he had had for hours (almost days) after the strange vision he had received (which had occurred right before she came to the gate).

"Well. Here is your next task: archery. You will be given five arrows each and a longbow. Stand on those lines" – he pointed out two white lines on the lawn – "and shoot each arrow into your respective targets. You have ten minutes to do so. Here are your arrows" – they were promptly handed over – "begin."

Cliona settled into that relaxed state of mind she had when she practiced archery. One, two, three, four, five. All of her arrows left in quick succession from her bow, all but two buried into the bull's eye. Those two weren't even that far from the center. Fred had taken longer, and his arrows didn't all find the center of the target either.

Commander Evin made notes in his journal before directing them further along the dirt passageway to the stables. Their next, and final, task was to be overseen by yet another stern-faced, graying, and yet commanding man.

"Mount up onto these two horses."

They did so, with only a little difficulty from their aching muscles.

"Alright. Ride along this fence in circles. Don't stop, and do what I tell you to do. If you fall off, jump right beck on and continue with the assessment. Begin at a canter."

They did so, going from walk to trot to canter to gallop and back again several times, occasionally jumping a fence or two. Just as she thought she could take it no longer, he called for them to stop.

"Go on back to the stables and properly groom your horses. The man there, George (A/N: this man has no relation to the George in Tamora Pierce's books in case you're wondering), will make sure you do it properly. Don't talk."

Even more wearily than before, Cliona trekked up the impossibly high hill (which, on any other given day when she was refreshed, would've seemed quite small), and groomed her mount under the watchful eye of the hostler George. He seemed nicer than the other men, for it was with a smile that he said,

"Alright lads. You must be weary. Nap all you like, but make sure to be at dinner on time. Hot baths are waiting for you in your rooms. You may now talk with each other."

Now, being aloud to talk was all very well, but not for these two: neither could muster up the ability to do so. Hence, it was in a companionable silence that they went back to the pages' wing for a bit of rest and relaxation.


	6. Revelations

Thank you so so so so much to my 14 reviewers! You're awesome:) More are always appreciated.

Disclaimer: the usual; I don't own anything except my own ideas.

**Chapter 6: Revelations**

"Ahhh…" With a sigh of contentment, Cliona lowered herself into the steaming hot water of her bath. After a seemingly long day of intense workout, it was needless to say that this simple pleasure was altogether very welcome. After a long soak, she reluctantly got out of the now-cool water, put on a fresh pair of everyday breeches and a shirt, and fell on her bed to catch a few more hours of sleep.

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_Knock, knock_. Groggily, she tumbled out of her bed to open her door. Upon doing so, it revealed Fred, who promptly laughed at her disgruntled sight of her.

"I take it you have been a sleep all this while?" He inquired mildly, taking in her tousled clothes and hair.

"Well, I was, like any sane person, until you so rudely interrupted!!" Grumpily she let him in.

"It's a good thing that I did, because unless you want to be very late for dinner, I suggest that you freshen up within the next ten minutes."

"Oh my! Have I really been asleep that long?"

"It certainly seems so."

"Alright, alright. I'll hurry up." With that she shooed him out of the room.

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Not too much later she joined the pages on their way to the mess hall, pitying those who had just gotten done and hadn't had time to sleep or bathe. _They must be feeling horrible right about now. I know I sure did as soon as I had finished._

"Hey, how'd it go?" Edward asked Cliona as she drew near their table. "Was it horrible going first?"

"Nah, it wasn't so bad going first. In fact, it was rather good because I've been able to sleep this whole time. How'd it go for you?"

"I think I did pretty good, 'cept for archery. I'm really horrible at archery."

"I didn't know half of the questions on the written exam." Interjected Dominic, who, for all of his imposing physique (for a ten year old, anyway), turned out to be a bit slow in the head.

"You were lucky that you two got to go together." Said Thomas, indicating Cliona and Fred. "I got stuck with some huge burly fourth year who looked about to run me through." He shivered.

"Yeah, I suppose we were."

The chatted for several more minutes in such a fashion, asking each other how they did and who's fief they wanted to end up it when the results came in. Each was starting to feel just a bit anxious. Nevertheless, that didn't stop any of them from devouring their supper rations.

"I want to end up at fief Elderwood. I've heard that the Duke there is very scholarly. He's written most of the books about our history, and there is a large section in the main library with all of his works. I find all of his stuff quite fascinating." Thomas said, causing Cliona to stiffen.

"Yeah, I've heard the same," said Fred, causing Cliona to pause and think.

_I always knew that he was very scholarly, but I never knew that he had such a big reputation! Is it possible to continue this discussion pretending that I've never known him before? _Little did she know, it was just about to get even worse.

"It must be terrible for him, just having lost his only daughter. Now there will be no direct heir to inherit for when he dies."

"Lost his daughter?" Cliona croaked out, trying to keep her racing thoughts and emotions under control. _How much does everyone know?_

"Yes. Haven't you heard? His daughter, Cliana or something like that, has recently gone missing. No one knows what happened to her, and both the Duke and Duchess refuse to comment on it. I hope she's okay though. Maybe she'll turn up some day. Nearly the whole army of Elderwood is out looking for her, and lots of mages have been scrying, but nothing of importance has turned up so far."

"She was my betrothed. Oh well." Dominic stated, unfeelingly. "I'll have more freedom this way. I hope she doesn't ever turn up."

"What!?! You are horrible! Don't you care at all?" All of the boys turned around to stare at him directly in the face, none with more loathing than Cliona herself, who had, one moment before, choked on her goblet of water.

_Him? My betrothed?!? How horrendous! He doesn't even care at all! Oh, how horrid! Thank heavens I ran away! Imagine living with a person with such biased, loathsome ideas! And he is not in the least bit smart either! But how come I never knew? How did father fail to mention that to me? And how could he (and my mom) condemn me to such a horrid life with a person that I didn't even know? How…. _She was jolted out of her thoughts to see Fred staring at her intently. _And I'll have to watch myself more often. He's a smart one, and I'll bet that he suspects something already._

"No, I really don't." Dominic was spared any more reprimands from the other boys with the announcement of the coming of the Duke.

"Good evening. Right now the judges are completing their final evaluations of your skill levels. Once dinner is over, the fief you are to go to will be posted on a list outside of these doors. No one will be excused early. There will be absolutely no exceptions to this. Enjoy the rest of your meal."

They could hardly continue to chew and swallow, what with all of the anxiety that kept bubbling forward. The remainder of dinner, usually a merry affair, was melancholy and seemed to last for years. The hall was silent; the only sounds to be heard were the occasional clatter of a spoon or fork. When at last the end of dinner was called, there was an almighty stampede out of the great oak doors. Everyone tried to jostle to the front. When at last she could see the list, she nearly fainted from shock. Somebody that she didn't know (one Tameron of Seton), and her were to be posted at fief….

Elderwood.

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Meanwhile, many, many miles away, a man and a woman stood pacing anxiously in an expansive and luxurious study. It was paneled in oak, and covered with bookshelves from floor to ceiling. The desk was a mess of parchment and ink, rather a paradise to a bibliophile or an avid writer. But none of this finery was noticed by its two inhabitants, whose thoughts were far away.

"I just don't know what to do!" Wailed the woman, the Duchess of Elderwood. "Our precious daughter… our only child! Lost! Vanished! Like that!" With these words, she collapsed into tears once more.

The Duke looked away from the view out the window that he seemed to be so intently studying (when in fact, his eyes were glazed over, covering the emotions that he was feeling inside).

"I don't understand… Its not like she was truly kidnapped or anything. She planned it all out; all of her most precious belongings, her horse, and her cat are gone. Deliberately packed away in two saddle bags that are also missing."

"But what could've prompted such an abrupt departure? She didn't even say goodbye. It's not like her at all, and surely we would've noticed if she was truly that unhappy."

In that instant, a thought struck the Duke with all of the force and weight of a towering mountain. Catching the look of despair in her husband's eyes, the Duchess calmly asked,

"What is it dear?"

"I just remembered what she said to me the day before she left. About…" his voice trailed off. "About… wanting to become a knight."

The silence was absolute, each person staring open-mouthed in horror at the though.

"Do you think… do you think that she ran away to… to… go train for knighthood?" The duchess asked faintly.

"That's a possibility; the only possibility."

"We have to do something! If that's what she did, then we have to intervene! She can't continue; it's treasonous! And she'd never make it through; she'd be found out! You must go to the palace immediately and stop this nonsense!"

"No, I can't." His reply was almost inaudible.

"Why ever not? She could be killed! And she's our only daughter; our only heir."

"Because if I expose her, she will be killed; it's the law. We have to give her a chance. You know her; determination runs thick in her veins. She might be able to do it. She certainly has the will to do so; you should've seen how passionately she spoke to me about it. But I've been so foolish! All of this time, and I never guessed. We've watched her grow up, though; we should've spotted it."

"But… but…"

"That's the only way. I can see nothing else as a possibility. You know this to be true."

"Well… All right then. So what are we going to tell everyone? Rumors are spreading rapidly. The people need a story."

"We'll tell them that she went out riding, was kidnapped, and even our best trackers can't find her. In a way it's true. The people will believe that; they have to."

With that, both of their semi-calm and controlled features crumpled, and they fled to the comfort of each other's arms, trying to banish all unbearable thoughts about the fate of their one and only beloved child.

Their state of mourning was interrupted by a knock on the door. Quickly they straightened, regained their composure, and acted as if everything was all right. Years of such practice aided them in this.

"Come in." The Duke found his voice at last.

"Two messages from the king, your Grace." A royal messenger entered and bowed.

"Let's hear them."

"One: he wishes to extend his condolences for the loss of your child, and wishes that you will tell him the truth of the matter. Two: As is the new law, two new pages will be entrusted your care and guidance for the next few years until they become squires. Their names are Edmund of Hollybranch and Tameron of Seton. However, he says that this year you can resign from your duties if you wish to because of these aforementioned circumstances. He also wishes to know your reply immediately."

"I will indeed acquiesce to his request, but first of all, I need to know this: does he wish for me to convey this information through you, or shall I write him a formal letter?"

"Tell me, if that pleases your Grace."

"Alright. As to the first inquiry, thank him most sincerely for the care he has shown to both my wife and me at our time of need. Our daughter has been kidnapped while riding, after being somehow separated from her chaperones. As to the second, do let him know that I greatly appreciate the exception he will make for us, and accept it. Send all of this to him with the reminder that we are forever his humble servants. Do you have all of that?"

"Yes, your Grace."

"Very well then. Are you in need of refreshments or rest before you journey back?"

"No thank you, your Grace."

"Then you are dismissed with my thanks."


End file.
